Stabbing left man 'permanently injured', Cork court hears

The accused, who claimed the complainant gave him a bash on the head with an iron bar, was acquitted.

Mr Balzenas told the court the caller made a reference to “the devils” which the witness explained that in his culture were the lowest cast of people.

A Lithuanian man living in Berehaven described being left with permanent nerve damage in his leg after an alleged stabbing but the man put on trial for this assault was found not guilty in the unanimous verdict of a jury.

Marius Rucinskas, 43, with an address at an apartment at The Courtyard, Castletownbere, County Cork, pleaded not guilty to charges of assault causing serious harm to Kestutis Balzenas, 51, at Came Point, Berehaven, County Cork, on November 4, 2018, and production of a knife during the incident.

The defence case was that he was struck with an iron bar by the complainant when he Rucinskas appeared at Balzenas’ door.

Brendan Kelly, prosecution barrister, said the injured party received a call from an individual looking for a phone number for another party. There was a similar call from another person looking for the same number and he refused to give this information.

“The accused man threatened to kill him on the phone. The injured party stayed at home.

“Five to ten minutes later there was a knock at the door. He opened the door but did not see anyone.

“The accused came at him with a knife and assaulted him. He received stab wounds to his legs in the process.

“He tried to defend himself with a bar. This person left. The injured party was permanently injured,” Mr Kelly BL said at the outset of the trial.

The injured party testified that when the accused asked him for the other man’s number he (Mr Balzenas) said on the phone: “If you don’t have the number there might be a reason for it” and he refused to give it.

Mr Balzenas said the caller made a reference to “the devils” which the witness explained that in his culture were the lowest cast of people.

“I was at home rolling cigarettes. I heard a knock on my front door. Nobody was there. Then he appears from around the corner of the small porch.

He had a knife. He attacked me, basically. I received multiple stab wounds to my leg.

“He was looking at me (as he left in a car) laughing and asking me, ‘Do you need any help?’” Mr Balzenas testified.

He said through a Lithuanian interpreter that he sustained permanent nerve damage.

Elizabeth O’Connell, senior counsel for the defence, said there was a reasonable doubt in the case and that the defendant had to be given the benefit of that doubt.

Ms O’Connell said Mr Balzenas gave the accused man a bash on the head with an iron bar when he appeared at the front door.

Ms O’Connell SC said on the defendant’s behalf: “This idea of bringing it on himself by going to the house is unsustainable.”